Handgun · Wildcat
6.5mm TCU
One of the Thompson/Center Ugalde family: the .223 Remington necked up to 6.5mm for accuracy in the Contender pistol..
- Caliber
- 0.264″ · 6.706 mm
- Introduced
- 1963
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .223 Remington
- Primary use
- Hunting
- Status
- Wildcat
- Introduced
- 1963
- Type
- Handgun
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Wes Ugalde
- Manufacturer
- Handloaded only (wildcat; no factory ammunition)
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Wildcat
- Availability
- Rare
- Case capacity
- 32 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Small Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 55,000 psi, SAAMI transducer
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
- Max range
- 4200 yd
- Recoil
- 3.8–4.1 ft·lb
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for 6.5mm TCU, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .223 Remington
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
reloading data · secondary source| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 6.71 | 0.264 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.42 | 0.292 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 9.35 | 0.368 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 40° | — | · |
| Base ⌀ | 9.55 | 0.376 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.14 | 0.045 | · |
| Neck length | 11.30 | 0.445 | ≈ |
| Case length | 44.42 | 1.749 | · |
| Overall length | 66.04 | 2.600 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 6.5mm TCU is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
The 6.5mm TCU was by Wes Ugalde, based on the .223 Remington case.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 6.5mm TCU use?
- 6.5mm TCU typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 6.5mm TCU?
- 6.5mm TCU uses a 0.264″ (6.706 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 6.5mm TCU still in production?
- 6.5mm TCU is wildcat; typical availability is rare.
- What is 6.5mm TCU used for?
- 6.5mm TCU is primarily used for hunting.
- What is 6.5mm TCU based on?
- 6.5mm TCU is derived from the .223 Remington case.
Sources & provenance
- Manufacturer Hornady — Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading — 6.5mm TCU (obsolete cartridge load data) · velocity, bullet ⌀, parent_cartridge, grain weights archived
- Secondary Shooter's Reference — Load Data for 6.5mm TCU (Thompson/Center Ugalde) · grain weights, velocity archived
- Secondary Wikipedia (pointer) — Thompson/Center Ugalde · bullet ⌀, parent_cartridge archived
- Secondary Lee Precision — 6.5mm TCU product/data page · parent_cartridge
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
